


She Doesn't Need Me

by fallenangel218



Category: NCIS
Genre: Friendship, Gen, episode tag: "The Searchers"
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-12
Updated: 2014-12-12
Packaged: 2018-03-01 04:43:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2760029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallenangel218/pseuds/fallenangel218
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gibbs has a talk with Ducky after Ellie's outburst in the squad room about his going too easy on her. Episode Tag to "The Searchers."</p>
            </blockquote>





	She Doesn't Need Me

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the NFA "Said/Say" Challenge, in which the words "said" and "say" cannot be used in dialogue. Also, warning for episode tag to S12 episode "The Searchers."

The Autopsy doors slid open just as Ducky and Jimmy were wrapping up with the body on their table. Gibbs came in, with a distressed look on his face. 

"Jimmy, would you excuse us a moment?" 

"Sure, Dr. Mallard." 

Jimmy stepped out of Autopsy, making the excuse of going up to Abby's lab to check on something. Gibbs nodded as Jimmy walked past him. 

"What's on your mind, Jethro?" 

"Am I too easy on Bishop, Duck?" 

Ducky started to put his cleaned tools back onto his storage cart. 

"I thought this topic might come up." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

"You let yourself get close to Caitlin, and we lost her. I noticed how hard you tried not to get close to Ziva, but you formed a close friendship--" 

"And I lost her too." 

"What are you afraid of?" 

"I'm afraid that if I let myself... that if I treat her like the others, I--I'll--" 

"Lose her too?" 

"I don't know." 

"Of course you do, Jethro. You've just told me.You choose your team members wisely, Jethro. You always have. When you chose Eleanor, I didn't question you, and I'm glad I didn't. She's a very capable Agent." 

"She didn't watch the back door, and let a suspect escape, Duck. If it were McGee or DiNozzo, I would have read them the riot act. I just looked at her and said 'it's fine.' When do I say 'it's fine' when we let a suspect escape?" 

Ducky turned off the sink and picked up a bottle of Clorox spray to sanitize the area. 

"You don't." 

"Exactly. Why didn't I yell at her?" 

"Would it make you feel better to read her the riot act?" 

"I don't know, Ducky." 

"What if it were Kate or Ziva that had let that suspect escape?" 

"I would have-- oh." 

Ducky smiled as Gibbs had his revelation. He set down the cleaner and beckoned Gibbs silently to join him in his office. Once they were there, Ducky took out a bottle of Scotch he kept in his drawer, for when the occasion called for it. He poured his friend a drink, and set it on the table in front of him. Gibbs took it and sipped it gratefully. 

"You have lost a fair amount of team members, Jethro. Stan transferred out to Agent Afloat, and then we lost Caitlin, and then Ziva--" 

"I get your point, Duck. Stop." 

"You aren't going to lose everyone you hire onto your team. Tony and Tim have stuck it out. I wager they won't be going anywhere for quite some time." 

Gibbs smiled. 

"Tony will probably have my job when I retire, and McGee will probably make Director one day." 

"Are you afraid to give Eleanor the same chance?" 

Gibbs sat back in his chair with his glass of scotch. He remembered the day he offered Kate a job. She was a pistol, and he liked that about her. He never went easy on her. He also remembered the day he lost her, and how much it hurt, though he never let it show. Ziva came next, and he didn't want to trust her. In fact, he didn't fully trust her for a long time. She didn't need to be coddled. She was one of the boys, as far as he was concerned. Then, she was gone. 

Ellie was different. She had her strange quirks, and she sat on the floor, which Gibbs found irritating. Ellie had certain quality about her that made him feel like he had to protect her from something. She had been trying so hard to prove herself to him, and she let him know it today. She had him figured out, and left him speechless. 

Gibbs downed the rest of his scotch and set the glass on the table. 

"I think I understand now." 

"What do you understand?" 

"Ellie is the complete opposite of Kate and Ziva. Both of them came onto the team with thick skins. Ellie sat behind a computer for her entire career. I keep looking at that desk and imagining the wrong person sitting there. It's Ellie's desk now. She wants to be treated as an equal, not a porcelain doll. She wants to be challenged, not coddled." 

"I think you have it." Ducky smiled. 

Gibbs looked at his watch. 

"I've got to go. Thanks, Duck." 

"Anytime." 

Gibbs got up and left Ducky in his office to finish his Autopsy report. He had to find Ellie and talk to her. 

**END**


End file.
